US military provides free veterinary care in the US Virgin Islands
More than 1,100 no-cost veterinary services were delivered to residents on St Thomas, US Virgin Islands, as part of a two-week mission by the United States Department of Defense’s Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) Program. According to the final report submitted to...
#TBT: July 17. 2025
On July 17, 1931, Gatewood Sanders Lincoln began the second of his two non-consecutive terms as Governor of American Samoa. During his tenure, he started a Samoan-led judicial commission to deal with matters involving land ownership, thereby granting the Samoan people...
‘X’ gender marker ruling sparks legal, political response in Puerto Rico
On June 3, 2025, Puerto Rico’s federal district court made history. It ruled that nonbinary and gender-nonconforming people may update their birth certificates with ‘X’. This is the result of a group of six nonbinary people who filed a lawsuit against Puerto Rico’s...
US Virgin Islands stops recreational bird hunting to protect local and migratory species
The Department of Planning and Natural Resources (DPNR) in the United States Virgin Islands is taking new steps to protect birds across the territory. On June 4, 2025, Commissioner Jean-Pierre L. Oriol announced that no recreational hunting of birds is allowed in the...
From neighbors to border agents: Dominican deportations in Puerto Rico
Ten years ago, the band Gente de Zona released a song called “La Gozadera,” celebrating the bond connecting the Latin People through an anthem, as a result, fueling a shared identity. Referencing Puerto Rican foods, Dominican music, and other Latin symbols, this song...
Right to Democracy and the America the Beautiful for All Coalition oppose deep seabed mining in American Samoa
A coalition of advocacy organizations and community leaders from across the United States territories is voicing strong opposition to proposed deep-seabed mining near American Samoa. In a joint petition, Right to Democracy and the America the Beautiful for All...
How ICE raids and federal immigration policies are impacting Puerto Rico
One hundred and sixty-six days ago, the first large-scale immigration raid in Donald Trump’s campaign against illegal immigrants took place in Puerto Rico. On January 26, 47 residents were arrested in San Juan, the capital city, where immigrant communities have been...
Governor Arnold Palacios delivers his first State of the Commonwealth Address
Governor Arnold Palacios presented his First State of the Commonwealth Address on May 28. This was the first joint legislative session of the 24th Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature. Governor Palacios began his speech by describing the State of the...
Decolonization, citizenship, and identity: An overview of the relationship between the United States and its territories
The relationship between the United States and its territories is a complex one. The United States has a total of five permanently inhabited territories. These territories are American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the United States...
Weekly Action Checklist: July 11, 2025
Take Action with Americans of Conscience Checklist Action 1: Time-sensitive: Support low-income families hit hardest by Texas floods. Action 2: Support students—demand lawmakers restore school funding now. Action 3: Insist ICE release professional rugby player from...
